Mother’s Night/Red Candle of Joy

May the Pure Stream of Your Virtues flow within me, in this world and in all the worlds to come.

~

Tonight is Mother’s Night, a native European Tradition as well as a Christian Tradition (when it was moved to Christmas Eve.) How appropriate that the candle of the Celestial Mother, as the Rose of Joy, be lit on this night, the night of Her Joy, the night of our Joy.

Tonight, on the eve of the solstice, the Daughter of Light, She Who is the Daughter of the Supernal Sun, will shine as the Midnight Star of Wonder; the Star of Hope.

As we wait with the Holy Mother, we might offer Her incense and flowers, milk and honey, a rosary, hymns, special prayers or the Rite of Sacrifice (priestesses shall also serve the liturgy on Daughter’s Day/Yule). We also light the last candle on our Sunwheel.

The Red Candle also signifies the Sacred Season of Summer; the direction of South, the time of Noon, the Symbol of the Rose and Madria Vicka. The Sacred Mystery is Assumption. (The Holy Mother is the Assumption of our Souls when our incarnations are complete.)

~

(Image courtesy of Madria Kathi).

Trace the sign of the Fora and say: In the Name of the Mother, and of the Daughter, and of the Great Mother. Blessed is She.

First light the Green Candle of Wisdom and say:

Hail, Dea, Apple of Wisdom, be with us.

Light the Yellow Candle:

Hail, Dea, Star of Hope, be with us.

Light the Violet Candle:

Hail, Dea, Fora of Faith, be with us.

Light the Blue Candle:

Hail, Dea, Dove of Peace, be with us.

Finally, light the Red Candle and pray:

Hail, Dea, Rose of Joy, be with us.

~

Scripture Readings:

From The Mantle verses 1-7

1) You that are weary with the world, you that are lonely, you that have suffered hardship, that have suffered hurt, come, gather about Me and be enfolded in My Mantle.
2) In the inner silence you shall hear Me and in the inner darkness you shall see Me.
3) And the future shall be better than the past.
4) Come, seek protection in My mantle, for I have turned no creature from Me; be sheltered in the folds of My garment.
5) For the ills of the world shall pass away, even as the terrors of the night.
6) And the dawn shall be bright with splendor and sweet with the singing of the blessed souls.
7) And I shall be your comfort in the darkness.

From the Mythos of the Holy Daughter, Chapter II verse 20-35 as taken from the New Celestial Union edition. (And, I just noticed that in this edition, the Holy Daughter is called Kore!)

20. The archangel at the cave’s mouth called forth the children of the earth that they might present their gifts. And the three great princesses of the earth came forward: 21. First the greatest of them, who ruled more land than either of the others and also possessed more treasure. 22. Her crown was of pure gold; and as she took it from her head, the light of the star fell upon it, and it shone with a glister lovelier than any earthly jewel. 23. And she laid it at the feet of the archangel. 24. The archangel said: “It is good that you bring your crown, for you are a great princess, but the holy child shall be princess of all the world.”

25. The second princess held neither so much land nor treasure, but she was a maid of deep wisdom and profound meditation. Her crown was of pure silver; and as she took it from her head, the light of the star fell upon it, and it shone with a radiance yet lovelier than that of the golden crown. 26. And she laid it at the feet of the archangel. 27. The archangel said: “It is good that you bring your crown, for you have great wisdom, but the holy child is the daughter of wisdom herself.”

28. The last princess possessed only but few of the worldly things, but she was a priestess of Thea, and she praised Her in the morning and at evening and at all the seven hours of the day. Her crown was made from glittering crystal; and as she took it from her head the light of the star fell upon it, and she was bathed in rays of a thousand different colours, and the children of the earth drew in their breath at the sight of its beauty. 29 And she laid it at the feet of the archangel. 30. The archangel said: “It is good that you bring your crown, for you are a true and loving priestess and a servant of your people, but the holy child shall be priestess of all the world, and shall serve Her children even to the last and greatest service.”

31. When the archangel ceased to speak, a new voice filled the air, more beautiful and more formidable than hers. The voice said:

“Her name shall be called Kore,

for She shall be the Lady of heaven.”

32. Then the star vanished from the sky and yet its light remained; then the shape of the light became a vision: 33. it was a vision of the Mistress of All Things, bearing in Her arms the holy child. 34. For all the wondrous things the children of earth had seen that night, not the whole of them was one thousandth part as wondrous as this vision.

35. Then for twelve nights the star returned to the sky; and on the thirteenth night it did not return. And this was a sign of things that were to come.

we thank You, we bless You and we adore You. For through Your compassionate love, we are infused with Your luminous Graces and are sheltered beneath Your Great Mantle of Protection. O, Dea, Rose of Joy, be with us. (Taken from the Great Liturgy of Dea.)